Road-cart



(No Model.)

0. J. MoOOLLUM & O. 0. STRAN.

ROAD CART. v No. 298,764. Patented May 20, 1884.

W 115 7E .lnventnr MMWMMMM@M E Phnwuthugrapher. Wellington. D- C ORLANDO J. MOCOLLUM AND OARLL OSKAR STRAN, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

ROAD CART.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,764, dated May 20, 1884.

Application filed February 3, I883. Renewed March 15, 1884. (No model.)

To otZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ORLANDO J. MGOOL- LUM and GARLL O. STRAN, of Aurora, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road-Oarts; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of our invention is to provide suitable springs for connecting the shafts of a road-cart to the axle thereof, and springs for supporting the body of the same, whereby the horse motion is greatly moderated, if not entirely destroyed. This we accomplish by the said springs, constructed and arranged in the manner hereinafter fully described, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figurel is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a rear end view, and Fig. 3 is a detail view.

A represents the shafts, or, rather, that portion of the same which extends back of the cross-bar and between it and the axle B. These shafts terminate within a short distance of the axle, to which they are connected by a fiat spring, I). In the drawings this spring I) is shown as being bolted to the under surface of the shafts, beginning at a given point on the same and extending back beyond the ends of said shafts, under the axle, to which they are secured by a double clip, 0. In order to prevent the spring from slipping longitudinally, we turn the end of the same upward, letting said turned-up ends bear against the back side of the axle. This spring may from continued use become weakened or otherwise affected. To avoid this possibility, and also to modify the action of the said spring I) in its upward or downward oscillation, we arrange under the same an auxiliary spring, a, of a length sufficient to pass from the back of the axle to a point on the shafts just beyond the adjacent ends of the same. This spring 0 is separate from the spring I), but it is, as will be seen by reference to the drawings, held in position on the axle by the clip 0. The ends of the spring 0 are preferably turned downward, to prevent its slipping out from under the double clip a before described, and balanced on the axle of and clip d, which latter are placed 011 the ends of the shafts and grasp the contiguous ends of the spring 0 loosely.

Supported upon pillows d, which rest upon the axle B, are the side springs, O O, having an upward curve at both ends-that of the back end being more pronounced than the other-and a downward curve of the intermediate sweep. About one-third of the length of these side springs is back of the axle, the other two-thirds reaching forward from the same toward the front of said cart, terminating, preferably, under the angle so of the foot-rest, where they are secured to either end of a cross-piece, e, on which the forward end of the road-cart rests. The back ends of these side springs are connected to the contiguous ends of the half-elliptical rear spring D, which is properly secured longitudinally to the cross-piecef. upon which the rear end of the body of the cart rests.

\Ve do not wish to be understood as claiming as part of our invention the broad combination of side and rear wagon-springs, but only the peculiar-shaped side spring hereinthe road-cart, so as to maintain the center of gravity of the body of the same.

From the construction and arrangement of the several springs specified we successfully avoid the vertical jogging of the shafts, and ameliorate to a very great extent the motion imparted by unevenness of the road.

WVhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A vehicle-spring for connecting the shafts to the axles, consisting of an upper and lower leaf, said lower leaf being the shorter, and being independent at that end contiguous to the shaft, said upper and lower leaf having preferably upwardly and downwardly turned end edges, respectively, farthest from the shafts, which bear, respectively, against the axle and contiguous cross-bar of the double clip, by which they are secured to said axle.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we hereunto affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ORLANDO J. MOOOLLUM. OARLL OSKAR STRAN.

Witnesses:

WILLIE 13. McOoLLUM, FRANK. D. THoMAsoN. 

